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Spanish online course: “Learning with your heart and mind”

Spanish online course “Learning with your heart and mind: a humanistic approach and neuroeducation in the teaching of Spanish as a second language”

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a branch of neuroscience which studies ways in which the brain establishes connections between neurological processes (neuro-), language (linguistic) and the behavioral patterns that have been learned through experience (programming).

This means the way we learn any language is not solely conditioned by the functioning of our brain, but also by our linguistic knowledge and the behavioral patterns we have copied or learned from the people we have shared part of our lives with, such as our parents, grandparents or teachers.

NLP proposes a communicative method that focuses on identifying those patterns of thought that negatively influence people in order to use them as tools to develop strategies and abilities to help overcome obstacles in life.

This training program, which has been developed in collaboration with FEDELE (Spanish Federation of Associations of Schools of Spanish as a Foreign Language) and the Instituto Cervantes, is based on the teaching methods called “Suggestopedia” and “super-learning”, and it has been developed by Begoña LLovet (co-founder and director of TANDEM Madrid and the first to introduce this method in Spain in 1990 and apply it to language teaching).

In contrast with standard teaching methods which focus on encouraging learning by memorization and constant repetition, the online course “Learning with your Heart and Mind” sees students as a whole, each one of them with their academic qualities, but also as creative and sensitive beings. It proposes a complete and integrative education which will arouse the students’ interest in learning.

A simple thought such as “I can’t do this” predisposes our mind to give up without even trying. With this course, which focuses on “super-learning”, one can learn how to always provide the brain with a positive approach, encouraging it to look for solutions to problems and difficulties.

One of the main objectives of the online course “Learning with your Heart and Mind” is to allow teachers to acquire the skills they need in order to become learning facilitators. They help students to become aware of their own emotions, prejudices and limitations that appear when facing the unknown or adversities. They also learn to assist students in overcoming their mental barriers and deal with frustration and other feelings.

Who can enroll in the course?

Mostly experienced teachers of Spanish as a second language who want to learn about Suggestopedia, neuro-linguistics and other holistic approaches for the teaching and learning of the Spanish. The course will also cover techniques to stimulate the right brain that can be applied in their Spanish classes.

The online course “Learning with your Heart and Mind”, is limited to 80 enrollees. It runs for 60 hours, and the classes which will be taught online, will start on the 17th of September and end on the 7th of November 2018.